Stronger Than They Look
by Msynergy
Summary: She was stronger than she looked. That was one of the first things he learned about her.
1. Part 1

_Part One_

Disclaimer: I wish, but I don't own the characters/movie.

She was stronger than she looked. That was one of the first things he learned about her.

Her form was thin, and she leaned on that staff more than she let on, even if her magic was formidable. But then he saw her scars, and knew he had underestimated her.

The humans underestimated her too, and now she had her wings, and it was only a short time after that he understood just how strong she really was.

He could barely keep up with her as a raven, one powerful flap for every ten of his took her into the clouds. But still he flew harder, faster, determined to catch up.

On such an occasion he was following her back from a visit with their dear Queen Aurora. It was not often that his former mistress would tread into the human lands, but for her godchild there wasn't much she wouldn't do, and the hatchling had wished for her to see the changes she'd made to the castle so naturally Maleficent's attendance was required.

But it had been good, Diaval thought, to see her smile, especially the smile that only the human girl seemed to pull out of her. Aurora made him smile too, even more so when she presented him with a black coat of finer fabric than he thought was possible, claiming that the pretty bird who helped raise her deserved a fine coat.

Maleficent, of course, had claimed she would only inflate his ego further with such a gift, but he wore it with pride for their entire visit. The Protector of the Moors asked if he preferred the form of a peacock for all his prancing about before they left, but he'd scoffed and ranted about the ridiculous nature of such a bird before she turned him back into his feathered self.

She naturally look the lead back to the Moors, but he didn't hurry, basking in the leftover happiness of seeing all the great works Aurora had accomplished. She would never be her father, because she was raised by the best of mothers.

That same woman he watched fly ahead, brown wings shining in the last of the day's sun, hair whipping behind her like a flag. It was beautiful, she was beautiful.

But Diaval was so mesmerized by her that he didn't realize just how low to the ground he'd glided, and didn't hear the telltale whirl of a stone launched from a sling until it hit his left wing.

Bones crunched, and he plummeted to the ground before he could even try and slow his descent.

The hard dirt made more bones make noise and he squawked in turn. He'd experienced pain many a time in his life, but every instinct screamed at him that this was more than pain, it was death if he didn't move.

But his legs refused to cooperate, and a shadow crept over the trampled grass where he lay. His eyes searched for where Maleficent had flown, but he realized as the shadow stopped to loom over him he'd fallen too far behind.

"Look what I hit! It's that dark fairy's little puppet! It's because of her that we could barely afford clothes to cover our backs for sixteen years, ya know!"

Before Maleficent's influence he hadn't understood any human speech as a raven, but now he understood all too well, and shivered in pain and fear. Farmers were enough of a threat on their own, but in numbers they were doom to raven folk. They must have been coming back from their fields when they spotted him weaving about the sky like some silly songbird.

"So what's to be done? She's going to notice it's missing and come looking if we don't take care quick," the other spoke up, and as the two argued Diaval tried to limp away into the taller grass.

Every step was painful, but it was his only chance…

"Oh no you don't!" The first voice bellowed, and grabbed his good wing, pulling him up by it with a jerk.

He squawked again, trying to claw and peck for all he was worth. All his captor did was smile, however, and as his other meaty hand reached for him Diaval closed his eyes, readying himself for the end.

But no end came, because a gust of wind took its place, along with a roar that shook the few good bones he had left.

And again he landed hard on the ground, but he was free, and blood still pumped through his veins, so he opened his eyes, and marveled at what he saw.

Maleficent had both men by their throats, raised high so their feet flailed helplessly. Their eyes bulged with terror as hers glowed lethal, and her fingers tightened as she spoke, causing them to wriggle more like the worms they now resembled.

"Let it be known to you and others like you. This bird and his kind are under my protection. I will spare you this day, but I will not do so again should you chose to not heed my warning."

A putrid smell suddenly emanated from the one who had held him by the wing, and Diaval realized the man had pissed himself.

Maleficent noticed too, and smirked.

"So brave when hurting something smaller than you, but not so now I see. Be gone!"

And with a heave she tossed both men to the ground, watching them turn and run without looking back. She didn't watch for long, however, before moving to carefully lift his contorted body into her arms.

"Let's go home," was all she said, barely looking at him before lifting them both into the sky.

And cradled in her hands, in pain but safe, Diaval realized he was wrong.

He had never truly seen her strength until now, and she was all the more beautiful for it.


	2. Part 2

_Part 2_

Disclaimer: I wish, but no, I don't own the characters/movie.

She landed softly, careful not to jar him, and Diaval was grateful for it.

The flight hadn't been long, but the shock and fight had left him, and all that remained was pain.

He could barely let out a chirp when she ran a finger across the top of his head, but she shushed him anyway.

"Be still," she said softly, "I will try do to this quickly."

Nothing prepared him for the sifting gold that weaved through his feathers and into shattered bone and sinew, fixing the broken and bloody. It felt like fire burning him from the inside, and only Maleficent's hands kept him from writhing in the agony. And when he thought he could take no more, the flames faded away, and he found calm.

But the calm faded away soon too, and Diaval woke to the world with human eyes.

Green leaves and strong branches shaded him from the sun, and it didn't take him long to realize where he was, the give of the hammock under his back only confirmed it.

A beautiful nest if there ever was one, he thought, feeling himself lulled back to sleep by the wind making the leaves dance.

But the wind also brought something else, or rather someone.

He heard her wings before he saw her, but remained where he was. Awareness had brought back pain, and while it was nowhere near what'd been before, he was in no hurry to move.

Through half-lidded eyes he watched her enter the nest, a cloth bag hanging from her shoulder.

"Bring me something?" he asked, smiling as she jumped in surprise before scowling at him.

"I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever awake."

"I am stronger than I look, you know," he shrugged, but winced at the pain the movement caused.

She raised a brow at that, declaring her skepticism, but set down the bag all the same. From it she pulled out a water skin, and other things he couldn't recognize from his position.

The water she brought over, careful to not move the hammock too much as she sat next to him.

She offered him the skin, and he nearly spilled most of it all over himself trying to take a drink before she scoffed and grabbed it back.

"It's a wonder you survived by yourself for as long as you did," she shook her head, helping him lift his head to properly take a drink.

"Forgive me for not possessing the same strength as you," he rolled his eyes, but accepted the water nonetheless.

"I will, but I will not forgive you for nearly getting yourself killed," her eyes were hard, but her grip remained tender on his head, and Diaval frowned.

"Maleficent?"

She took the water back along with her hand, and took her time corking it, her gaze everywhere but on him.

"Hey," he tried, but still she ignored him. He could not ignore, however, the twitch in her wings that gave away tension in her shoulders.

"Hey," he tried again, this time touching her arm.

Diaval expected her to slap it away, turn him into a dog, anything but what she really did.

Because one touch and she turned to face him, and he saw what he had only witnessed once before in the nearly two decades of her company. He decided right then and there that twice was too many times to see Maleficent's tears.

He didn't say anything more, only tugged on her arm and watched with no small amount of amazement as she carefully folded her wings and tucked herself into his right side. His arm slid instinctively around her back and came to rest between her wings to provide more room.

Her tears escaped into his shirt, but he only held on tighter, and covered his hand with hers where it'd come to lay on his chest.

The action made him twinge, but he ignored it, trying to memorize the feel of her against him. Whatever was happening, he doubted he'd be able to experience it again once he was healed.

"If this is what I get for not being forgiven, I think I can live with it," he spoke after some time, and he heard her chuckle with a smile.

"Don't get used to it."

His smile remained, but the exhaustion he'd experienced upon waking slowly started tugging on his eyelids, and soon he was powerless to stop it. Diaval did, however, feel warm lips press against his cheek just before he succumbed, and hoped against hope this wouldn't be the last time he'd fall asleep with her next to him.


End file.
